By Marieke Roggeveen
Driehoorne’s 50th anniversary is celebrated on several occasions for relations and residents. “Today we do this with an inspiring lecture by Erik Scherder,” says Sita Tjepkema, director of Driehoorne, during her welcome speech, “Grow old and stay young, that is of course what we all want.”
‘Challenge yourself mentally’
After a short introduction, Scherder states that questions are welcome at any time and then, accompanied by changing images on a large screen, begins to explain the complex functioning of the brain in an understandable way. He explains, among other things, how important myelin is in our brains. “This is the white matter in your brain that provides connections in the brain. If you want to grow old and stay young, you have to maintain the amount of white matter. You do this by ensuring that you remain mentally challenged: do something new, a sport, play a musical instrument, paint… At any age you can positively influence your brain by exercising more, having a healthy lifestyle and challenge the brain. In short: make an effort and challenge yourself.”
‘Never live your age’
It is an active lecture, in which the neuropsychologist regularly asks his audience whether he can still be understood. This always appears to be the case. “You should never live according to your age,” Scherder emphasizes once again, “but always keep challenging yourself. So don’t park backwards with the help of a screen, but do it yourself. Stand-up seats, a lowering when getting on and off buses and trams… If someone needs this, fine. But if you can do this yourself, do it yourself. Really, exercise is not only necessary to stay in shape, it also keeps the brain young.” To illustrate, Scherder says that he does thirty push-ups in the morning and does squats, or deep knee bends, with his students during lectures.
‘Exercise keeps the brain young’
Scherder says that loneliness can also have a negative effect on health. “When loneliness persists for a long time, it can lead to stress, which in turn can lead to physical and mental health risks.” Scherder shows a picture of a vicious circle with the links: disability, physical inactivity, loss of muscle mass and functions, early fatigue, and increased risk of accidents. “Staying active and making an effort remains essential. Fortunately, the chance of loneliness in this building is very small. It’s incredibly beautiful how everything works here: all kinds of activities, people meet each other, have a chat, go for a walk.”
‘I started playing the violin’
After answering a few more questions from the audience, Scherder concludes his lecture by saying that you can start something new at any age. “Whether you are young or a little older. For example, I recently started playing the violin. I’ve wanted to do this for a long time and now I practice for an hour every evening. It doesn’t sound perfect, I won’t be giving concerts either, but I enjoy it a lot. Learning something new is good for the brain and a person is never too old to learn.”
2024-01-30 17:56:00
#Brain #professor #Erik #Scherder #tips #Alphen
